Old records show that history of animal suffering is repeating itself in zoos

Last week, the Daily Mail reported on the sale of a “dusty old ledger” book which revealed the fate of zoo animals at Manchester’s Belle Vue Zoo between 1938 and 1971. The article had a decidedly whimsical air as it described the demise of some of the unfortunate animals who lived out their days there, with the headline exclaiming “No wonder they tell you not to feed the animals!” (before describing how some animals had died by being overfed by the public). The black and white photos which accompanied the story left readers with the impression that events of the type described are now consigned firmly to the past. But, on reading the article, it was disappointing to see that many of the sad stories outlined could just as easily have been reports discussing events at zoos in the last few years.

THEN: Many big cats recorded in the ledger book arrived from or went to other zoos and circuses.
NOW: CAPS supporters will know that in November last year, a joint investigation with Lion Aid showed that lion cubs born at West Midland Safari Park had been sent to a notorious circus trainer and ended up in a travelling circus in Japan. In 2009, a CAPS investigation showed another UK zoo breeding tigers for a well-known circus owner.

THEN: “Polecats and coypus were killed by vandals, while nine cockatiels and eight Barbary doves were presumed stolen, the latter from the children’s zoo” the story continued.
NOW: A horrific attack on animals in a zoo in Tasmania was reported last year with some birds being killed and others stolen or released. In 2009, rabbits and chickens died at a zoo in Oxfordshire after it was vandalised.

THEN: “Some were listed as ‘killed by dog’” the article stated.
NOW: 2011 saw the deaths of two deer in Clissold Deer Park in London after a dog gained entry to their enclosure. One deer died from being attacked and another from haemorrhaging, reported as being brought on by stress.

THEN: “Twenty-four grass snakes meet [their] end in 1961 by being fed to a cobra” we were told.
NOW: Despite some claims to the contrary, it is still legal to use live vertebrate prey in zoos despite the serious welfare and ethical concerns over the practice.

THEN: “overfed by the public” was the cause of death for some animals
NOW: A hippo died at Dublin zoo in 2002 after eating a tennis ball thrown into her enclosure. A CAPS investigation in autumn last year showed drunk festival-goers at Port Lympne safari park throwing food and other objects into the primate enclosures and carp ponds. Other reports from around the world have described animals dying after ingesting rubbish and even drugs thrown into their enclosures.

The zoo industry claims that zoos are centres for conservation and education but the accounts of animal suffering that continue to come to light bear a worrying resemblance to those stories outlined in the “dusty old ledger” dating back up to 75 years. To be sure that you are not contributing this outdated and archaic entertainment at the expense of the animals, please, do not visit the zoo.


For the full Daily Mail article, see here.